1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical preparation for remedy of periodontal disease. More particularly, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical preparation for remedy of periodontal diseases, which is in the form of a film or sheet and is inserted in a periodontal pocket or gingiva, comprising a medicinal agent for remedy of periodontal diseases, which has medicinal actions such as a germicidal action, an antibacterial action, a plaque-dissolving action and an anti-inflammatory action, and a water-soluble polymeric substance having a Young's modulus of 10 to 250 Kg/mm.sup.2 as determined at a temperature of 25.degree. C. and a relative humidity of 65%, and a viscosity of 5 to 30,000 CP as determined at 20.degree. C. with respect to a 2% aqueous solution, and also relates to a process for the production of this pharmaceutical preparation for remedy of periodontal diseases.
2. Description of the Prior Art
By "periodontal diseases" are meant all diseases occurring in the periodontal tissue. The main periodontal diseases are gingivitis and chronic parodontitis marginalis. Chronic parodontitis marginalis is called "pyorrhea alveolaris", and 50 to 70% of adults of thirty years and over suffer from this diseases more or less. Pyorrhea alveolaris is a chronic disease of the periodontal tissue, the main complaints of which are the drainage of pus from the gingiva, the absorption of an alveolar bone, and the relaxation and tottering of teeth. It was considered that the main causes of pyorrhea alveolaris are general disorders such as hormone imbalance, abnormal metabolism, and avitaminosis but it has recently been proved that the main cause of pyorrhea alveolaris is a local inflammatory factor in the periodontal portion, which is due mainly to a plaque. The plaque is a bacterial plexus of oral bacteria, which is deposited on a groove of the tooth surface, a boundary between teeth, or a boundary between a tooth and gingiva. Inflammation is caused by bacteria in the plaque or metabolites thereof, and this inflammation extends to the deep portion to form a gingival pocket (periodontal pocket). This state is called pyorrhea alveolaris.
As the curative means, there are adopted an antiphlogistic treatment, a load relieving method, and a home curative treatment mainly for improving the affected gingival pocket and repairing the lesion of the periodontal tissue. According to the antiphlogistic treatment, the affected gingival pocket is improved by curettage of the affected gingival pocket, removal of tartar or cutting or cauterization of the gingiva, and the affected part is rendered antiphlogistic by washing and the injection of a medicine. According to the load relieving method, occlusion is adjusted, and according to the home curative treatment, teeth are cleaned and gingiva is massaged by the patient. Furthermore, there is adopted a method in which a solution of an antibacterial agent is irrigated or injected into the periodontal region and the interior of the periodontal pocket (see, for example, J. H. Hardy, H. N. Newman, J. D. Strahan; J. Clinical Periodontology, September 1982, pages 57-65). However, none of these methods have a decisive curative effect.
There has recently been reported a method in which an antibacterial agent is included in a strip composed of a water-insoluble polymeric substance such as poly(ethyl methacrylate) and the strip is placed in a periodontal pocket to kill anaerobic bacteria in the periodontal pocket [M. Addy et al.; J. Periodontol, November, 693 (1982].
However, according to this method, since a water-insoluble polymeric substance is used, if the strip is left in the periodontal pocket, a pain or irritation is readily given to the affected part.